What is varieties of democracy in Saudi Arabia?

Varieties of democracy in Saudi Arabia was 0.016 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest varieties of democracy recorded in Saudi Arabia?

The highest recorded value was 0.02 in 2010.

What is the lowest varieties of democracy recorded in Saudi Arabia?

The lowest recorded value was 0.008 in 1933.

How does Saudi Arabia rank for varieties of democracy?

Saudi Arabia ranks 176th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is varieties of democracy rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?

Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Varieties of democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Varieties of democracy in Saudi Arabia

Name: Varieties of democracy in Saudi Arabia
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Saudi Arabia: Varieties of democracy was 0.016 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.016

Change on year

up 6.7%

World rank

176th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.02

in 2010

All-time low

0.008

in 1933

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Varieties of democracy in Saudi Arabia, 1789–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, varieties of democracy in Saudi Arabia stood at 0.016.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.7% on the previous year and unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, varieties of democracy in Saudi Arabia peaked at 0.02 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.008, in 1933.

That places Saudi Arabia 176th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.

Varieties of democracy in Saudi Arabia, year by year

Annual values for Varieties of democracy in Saudi Arabia, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.016	—
1790	0.016	+0.0%
1791	0.016	+0.0%
1792	0.016	+0.0%
1793	0.016	+0.0%
1794	0.016	+0.0%
1795	0.016	+0.0%
1796	0.016	+0.0%
1797	0.016	+0.0%
1798	0.016	+0.0%
1799	0.016	+0.0%
1800	0.016	+0.0%
1801	0.016	+0.0%
1802	0.016	+0.0%
1803	0.016	+0.0%
1804	0.016	+0.0%
1805	0.016	+0.0%
1806	0.016	+0.0%
1807	0.016	+0.0%
1808	0.016	+0.0%
1809	0.016	+0.0%
1810	0.016	+0.0%
1811	0.016	+0.0%
1812	0.016	+0.0%
1813	0.016	+0.0%
1814	0.016	+0.0%
1815	0.016	+0.0%
1816	0.016	+0.0%
1817	0.016	+0.0%
1818	0.016	+0.0%
1819	0.019	+18.7%
1820	0.019	+0.0%
1821	0.019	+0.0%
1822	0.01	-47.4%
1823	0.01	+0.0%
1824	0.01	+0.0%
1825	0.01	+0.0%
1826	0.01	+0.0%
1827	0.01	+0.0%
1828	0.01	+0.0%
1829	0.01	+0.0%
1830	0.01	+0.0%
1831	0.01	+0.0%
1832	0.01	+0.0%
1833	0.01	+0.0%
1834	0.01	+0.0%
1835	0.01	+0.0%
1836	0.01	+0.0%
1837	0.01	+0.0%
1838	0.01	+0.0%
1839	0.01	+0.0%
1840	0.01	+0.0%
1841	0.01	+0.0%
1842	0.01	+0.0%
1843	0.01	+0.0%
1844	0.01	+0.0%
1845	0.01	+0.0%
1846	0.01	+0.0%
1847	0.01	+0.0%
1848	0.01	+0.0%
1849	0.01	+0.0%
1850	0.01	+0.0%
1851	0.01	+0.0%
1852	0.01	+0.0%
1853	0.01	+0.0%
1854	0.01	+0.0%
1855	0.01	+0.0%
1856	0.01	+0.0%
1857	0.01	+0.0%
1858	0.01	+0.0%
1859	0.01	+0.0%
1860	0.01	+0.0%
1861	0.01	+0.0%
1862	0.01	+0.0%
1863	0.01	+0.0%
1864	0.01	+0.0%
1865	0.01	+0.0%
1866	0.01	+0.0%
1867	0.01	+0.0%
1868	0.01	+0.0%
1869	0.01	+0.0%
1870	0.01	+0.0%
1871	0.01	+0.0%
1872	0.01	+0.0%
1873	0.01	+0.0%
1874	0.01	+0.0%
1875	0.01	+0.0%
1876	0.01	+0.0%
1877	0.01	+0.0%
1878	0.01	+0.0%
1879	0.01	+0.0%
1880	0.01	+0.0%
1881	0.01	+0.0%
1882	0.01	+0.0%
1883	0.01	+0.0%
1884	0.01	+0.0%
1885	0.01	+0.0%
1886	0.01	+0.0%
1887	0.01	+0.0%
1888	0.01	+0.0%
1889	0.01	+0.0%
1890	0.01	+0.0%
1891	0.01	+0.0%
1892	0.01	+0.0%
1893	0.01	+0.0%
1894	0.01	+0.0%
1895	0.01	+0.0%
1896	0.01	+0.0%
1897	0.01	+0.0%
1898	0.01	+0.0%
1899	0.01	+0.0%
1900	0.01	+0.0%
1901	0.01	+0.0%
1902	0.01	+0.0%
1903	0.009	-10.0%
1904	0.009	+0.0%
1905	0.009	+0.0%
1906	0.009	+0.0%
1907	0.009	+0.0%
1908	0.009	+0.0%
1909	0.009	+0.0%
1910	0.009	+0.0%
1911	0.009	+0.0%
1912	0.009	+0.0%
1913	0.009	+0.0%
1914	0.009	+0.0%
1915	0.009	+0.0%
1916	0.009	+0.0%
1917	0.009	+0.0%
1918	0.009	+0.0%
1919	0.009	+0.0%
1920	0.009	+0.0%
1921	0.009	+0.0%
1922	0.009	+0.0%
1923	0.009	+0.0%
1924	0.009	+0.0%
1925	0.009	+0.0%
1926	0.009	+0.0%
1927	0.009	+0.0%
1928	0.009	+0.0%
1929	0.009	+0.0%
1930	0.009	+0.0%
1931	0.009	+0.0%
1932	0.009	+0.0%
1933	0.008	-11.1%
1934	0.008	+0.0%
1935	0.008	+0.0%
1936	0.008	+0.0%
1937	0.008	+0.0%
1938	0.008	+0.0%
1939	0.008	+0.0%
1940	0.008	+0.0%
1941	0.008	+0.0%
1942	0.008	+0.0%
1943	0.008	+0.0%
1944	0.008	+0.0%
1945	0.008	+0.0%
1946	0.008	+0.0%
1947	0.008	+0.0%
1948	0.008	+0.0%
1949	0.008	+0.0%
1950	0.008	+0.0%
1951	0.008	+0.0%
1952	0.008	+0.0%
1953	0.01	+25.0%
1954	0.013	+30.0%
1955	0.013	+0.0%
1956	0.014	+7.7%
1957	0.014	+0.0%
1958	0.014	+0.0%
1959	0.014	+0.0%
1960	0.014	+0.0%
1961	0.014	+0.0%
1962	0.014	+0.0%
1963	0.014	+0.0%
1964	0.014	+0.0%
1965	0.014	+0.0%
1966	0.014	+0.0%
1967	0.014	+0.0%
1968	0.014	+0.0%
1969	0.014	+0.0%
1970	0.013	-7.1%
1971	0.013	+0.0%
1972	0.013	+0.0%
1973	0.013	+0.0%
1974	0.014	+7.7%
1975	0.013	-7.1%
1976	0.013	+0.0%
1977	0.013	+0.0%
1978	0.013	+0.0%
1979	0.014	+7.7%
1980	0.014	+0.0%
1981	0.014	+0.0%
1982	0.014	+0.0%
1983	0.014	+0.0%
1984	0.014	+0.0%
1985	0.014	+0.0%
1986	0.014	+0.0%
1987	0.014	+0.0%
1988	0.014	+0.0%
1989	0.014	+0.0%
1990	0.013	-7.1%
1991	0.013	+0.0%
1992	0.013	+0.0%
1993	0.016	+23.1%
1994	0.016	+0.0%
1995	0.015	-6.3%
1996	0.016	+6.7%
1997	0.016	+0.0%
1998	0.016	+0.0%
1999	0.016	+0.0%
2000	0.017	+6.3%
2001	0.018	+5.9%
2002	0.018	+0.0%
2003	0.018	+0.0%
2004	0.018	+0.0%
2005	0.019	+5.6%
2006	0.019	+0.0%
2007	0.019	+0.0%
2008	0.019	+0.0%
2009	0.019	+0.0%
2010	0.02	+5.3%
2011	0.02	+0.0%
2012	0.019	-5.0%
2013	0.018	-5.3%
2014	0.017	-5.6%
2015	0.016	-5.9%
2016	0.016	+0.0%
2017	0.014	-12.5%
2018	0.015	+7.1%
2019	0.015	+0.0%
2020	0.014	-6.7%
2021	0.015	+7.1%
2022	0.015	+0.0%
2023	0.014	-6.7%
2024	0.015	+7.1%
2025	0.016	+6.7%

Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries

Saudi Arabia's 0.016 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.786, 2% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
Saudi Arabia's 0.016 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.187, 9% of the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.016	0.016	0.016	1
1790s	0.016	0.016	0.016	10
1800s	0.016	0.016	0.016	10
1810s	0.0163	0.016	0.019	10
1820s	0.0118	0.01	0.019	10
1830s	0.01	0.01	0.01	10
1840s	0.01	0.01	0.01	10
1850s	0.01	0.01	0.01	10
1860s	0.01	0.01	0.01	10
1870s	0.01	0.01	0.01	10
1880s	0.01	0.01	0.01	10
1890s	0.01	0.01	0.01	10
1900s	0.0093	0.009	0.01	10
1910s	0.009	0.009	0.009	10
1920s	0.009	0.009	0.009	10
1930s	0.0083	0.008	0.009	10
1940s	0.008	0.008	0.008	10
1950s	0.0116	0.008	0.014	10
1960s	0.014	0.014	0.014	10
1970s	0.0132	0.013	0.014	10
1980s	0.014	0.014	0.014	10
1990s	0.015	0.013	0.016	10
2000s	0.0184	0.017	0.019	10
2010s	0.017	0.014	0.02	10
2020s	0.0148	0.014	0.016	6

Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia

174 Qatar 0.034 compare
175 Vatican 0.026 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Saudi Arabia

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 448 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,368 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,368 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Saudi Arabia →

Frequently asked questions

What is varieties of democracy in Saudi Arabia?: Varieties of democracy in Saudi Arabia was 0.016 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest varieties of democracy recorded in Saudi Arabia?: The highest recorded value was 0.02 in 2010.
What is the lowest varieties of democracy recorded in Saudi Arabia?: The lowest recorded value was 0.008 in 1933.
How does Saudi Arabia rank for varieties of democracy?: Saudi Arabia ranks 176th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is varieties of democracy rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?: Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Varieties of democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Varieties of democracy in Saudi Arabia. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/varieties-democracy-vdem/saudi-arabia/

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About this data

Indicator: Varieties of democracy
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,649 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which political leaders are elected under comprehensive suffrage in free and fair elections, and freedoms of association and expression are guaranteed.